Carol Howard Merritt's favorite books for ministry
In Review
The Color of Christ
The Cross and the Lynching Tree
The Social Media Gospel
Trauma and Grace: Theology in a Ruptured World
Deep Economy
What are the best books for ministry written in the 21st century? We asked seven pastors to pick their favorites. — Ed.
As Christians, we portray Jesus in stained glass, sermons, Sunday school, and sitcoms. The Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of Race in America, by Edward J. Blum and Paul Harvey (University of North Carolina Press), takes a perceptive look at the ways we depict the Son of God in the context of our racial history. It has thoroughly changed my perspective.
The book of Acts says, “They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.” In The Cross and the Lynching Tree (Orbis), James Cone has meditated on those words and given us shuddering insight into the two powerful symbols of crucifixion and lynching. As our nation mourns the shootings of unarmed black men and boys, my mind turns to Cone’s theology. He provides an unflinching look at history, an understanding of our present, and an enduring hope for liberation.
